Audience Insights Table of Contents

GOODSPEED MUSICALS AUDIENCE INSIGHTS TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE ROAR OF THE Character & Show Synopsis...... 3 GREASEPAINT - THE SMELL OF THE CROWD Meet the Writers...... 4 The Goodspeed May 20 - June 26, 2016 Director's Vision...... 6 ______

Book, Music and Lyrics by Behind the Scenes: Costume Design...... 7 LESLIE BRICUSSE & In Conversation...... 8 ANTHONY NEWLEY Interesting Facts...... 11

Lighting Design by Resources...... 11 STEPHEN TERRY

Costume Design by JESS GOLDSTEIN

Scenic Design by WALT SPANGLER

Music Direction by ADAM SOUZA

Music Supervisor and Arranger MICHAEL O'FLAHERTY

Choreographed by ALEX SANCHEZ

Directed by DON STEPHENSON Goodspeed’s Audience Insights can be found on our website: www.goodspeed.org/guides

Executive Director MICHAEL GENNARO Audience Insights for The Roar of the Greasepaint was prepared by: Joshua S. Ritter, M.F.A, Education Manager & Library Director Katherine Desjardins, Creative Content Manager

Audience Insights updated 05.06.16 2 CHARACTER & SHOW SYNOPSIS

In a world turned upside down, a rag-tag group relies on humor, song THE CHARACTERS and dance to try to build a new life. The curtain rises on Sir and Cocky as they discover a suitable area to play “The Game,” but we soon learn SIR: Makes the rules of the game. He is that the overbearing Sir holds all the cards. Sir’s station in life compels stuffy and full of himself; he abuses his him to express his joy (“A Wonderful Day Like Today”). Sir extols tradition self-proclaimed importance and takes and the rules that make the game function while Kid lays out Sir’s lunch. advantage of the weak. Cocky hopes to play the game to win some bread to assuage his terrible hunger. Sir and Cocky flip a coin to see who will make the first move (It COCKY: A beaten down follower when the Isn’t Enough). Sir consistently changes the rules of the game to ensure that show begins. Cocky is a young man with a he retains his advantage over Cocky. During halftime, Cocky steals a bit of great deal of potential despite his difficult bread and Sir scolds him. circumstances. He has romantic feelings for The Kid. Then, Sir communicates to Kid the most important things to remember as one travels the highway of life (“Things to Remember”). Next, Sir asks THE KID: Does whatever plays into her Cocky to record the latest restrictive rules in the book (“Put It in The favor, a survivor, enjoys the social game Book”). Starving and fed up with the game, Cocky requests not to play and is happy to use her sexuality, brains anymore and Kid interviews him for a job (“This Dream”). Cocky ends up and sense of humor to win Sir’s favor. The playing the game for a living and Sir continues to make up absurd rules Kid has a romantic investment in Cocky that penalize Cocky. Sir reminds Cocky that he could not live without his friendship, courage, fearlessness, faith and strength (“Where Would You THE STRANGER: Comes into this world Be Without Me”). Again, Cocky is disheartened and he requests to stop and turns things upside down. playing the game. However, Sir attempts to build up Cocky’s confidence by complementing him (“Look at That Face”).

Sir entertains Cocky’s fantasies and crowns him King in a mock ceremony. Meanwhile, Cocky spies the girl of his dreams (“My First Love Song”). The game ensues and Cocky realizes that Sir controls the girl of his dreams (Kid) with his wealth and power (“The Joker”). Kid places a straw dummy dressed as Sir in Cocky’s view and Sir taunts Cocky suggesting that he has been intimate with Kid. Sir claims the dummy is his brother, Bertie. Overcome with anger, Cocky strangles the dummy. Then, Sir and Kid accuse Cocky of murdering the dummy. Sir threatens to call the police and his power over Cocky grows. In desperation, Cocky feels completely alone (“Who Can I Turn To?”).

Goodspeed’s Audience Insights can be found on our website: The second act begins with Sir in feigned mourning www.goodspeed.org/guides over the death of his brother, Bertie the dummy (“Funny Funeral”). Kid expresses the pleasure of being alive and young (“That’s What It Is to Be Audience Insights for The Roar of the Greasepaint was prepared by: Young”). Sir forgives Cocky for murdering Bertie Joshua S. Ritter, M.F.A, Education Manager & Library Director and Cocky mockingly praises Sir (“What A Man!”). The Stranger enters and plays the game. He flaunts the rules and wins Michelle Aravena (The Kid), Gregory Treco (The Katherine Desjardins, Creative Content Manager the bread at the center of the circle (“Feeling Good”). Cocky makes new Stranger), Tony Sheldon (Sir), and Caesar Samayoa demands of Sir and plays the game once more. Finally, Cocky beats Sir at (Cocky) in Goodspeed's The Roar of the Greasepaint the game entering the center of the circle (“Nothing Can Stop Me Now”). - The Smell of the Crowd. ©EMMA Cocky plays again and runs off with Kid (“Things to Remember“ Reprise). Cocky and Kid return and Cocky begins to assert his new power over Sir (“My Way”). Kid also defies Sir by ignoring his commands (“Who Can I Turn To” Reprise). Cocky states that they are going to start a new game despite Sir’s protests (“Sweet Beginning”). Cocky, Kid, and Sir set off together toward a brighter future.

2 3 MEET THE WRITERS

LESLIE BRICUSSE Double Oscar and Grammy winner Leslie Bricusse is a writer- composer-lyricist who has contributed to many musical films and plays during his career. He was born in 1931 in London, and educated at University College School and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.

His stage musicals include Stop The World - I Want To Get Off; The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd; Pickwick; Goodbye, Mr. Chips; Scrooge; Jekyll and Hyde; Noah’s Ark; Cyrano de Bergerac; Kennedy; and Victor/Victoria. He has written songs and/or screenplays for such films as Doctor Dolittle; Scrooge; Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory; Goodbye, Mr. Chips; Superman; Victor/Victoria; Home Alone I and II; Hook; Goldfinger; You Only Live Twice; The Last Emperor; and various Pink Panther.

Bricusse has written more than forty musical shows and films, and over the years has had the good fortune to enjoy fruitful collaborations with a wonderful array of musical talents, including Anthony Newley, Henry Mancini, John Williams, John Barry, Jerry Goldsmith, Jule Styne, Quincy Jones, Andre Previn, Frank Wildhorn, and Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky. He is one of very few people in the world of stage and screen musicals Leslie Bricusse who contribute all three creative elements—book, music and lyrics—to a show or film, a feat he has achieved some 25 times. He has also written words and music (but not the book) or book and Iyrics (but not the music) to a further dozen projects in his various collaborations.

CLICK HERE to He has been nominated for ten Oscars, nine Grammys, and four Tonys, and has won two watch an interview Oscars, a Grammy, and eight Ivor Novello Awards, the premiere British Music Award. In with Leslie Bricusse 1989, he received the Kennedy Award for Consistent Excellence in British Songwriting, https://www.youtube.com/ bestowed by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, and was watch?v=b9uGjowhlfo inducted into the American Songwriters’ Hall of Fame—only the fourth Englishman to be so honored.

Current projects include Pure Imagination. Bricusse’s songbook show containing 60 songs from 60 years of stage & screen songwriting, as well as the most ambitious project of his career: a lyrical adaptation of the instrumental works of George Gershwin (“Rhapsody In Blue," “An American In Paris,” “Cuban Overture” and “Concerto In F") entitled A Few Words With George. Bricusse plans to combine a world premiere concert in London with an all- star recording of the work.

Leslie Bricusse currently lives in California. He continues to produce hit musicals like the 1995 production Victor/Victoria and the 1997 Broadway smash Jekyll & Hyde.

4 ANTHONY NEWLEY (1931-1999) was born George Anthony Newley in Hackney, London in 1931. His personal hit parade includes numerous film and stage musicals. He was nominated for 6 Tony Awards as an actor or composer, and one Oscar for Best Score.

Newley's beginnings in the entertainment industry go back to his start as a child actor the age of 14. He won the title role in the filmThe Adventures of Dusty Bates. The following year (1948), he starred in Peter Ustinov’s filmVice Versa and then as the Artful Dodger in David Lean’s classic production of Oliver Twist.

By the mid-1950s, Newley was well-known throughout the world as an actor and in 1957 he starred in six major films. His singing career began with a 1959 filmIdle on Parade, in which he performed four of his own songs that would later become Billboard hits. As an actor, he also enjoyed important successes in such films asDr. Dolittle and Sweet November.

In 1961, songwriter Leslie Bricusse suggested to Newley that they write a show together. The product was the successful Stop the World - I Want to Get Off, which starred Anthony Newley and was directed by Newley. The show ran on Broadway for 556 performances and several of its songs ("What Kind of Fool Am I?,” “Once In a Lifetime” and “Gonna Build a Mountain”) became hit singles.

Bricusse and Newley teamed again to write the score to the James Bond filmGoldfinger . Then in 1965 the team produced The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd, again starring Newley. In 1971, the pair wrote the score for the filmWilly Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. In the mid-1970s the team also collaborated on a television version of Peter Pan, which starred Danny Kaye and Mia Farrow, and the London stage success The Good Old Bad Old Days.

Newley worked as director, actor, or producer in a multitude of acclaimed motion pictures, including Summertree, It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time, Mr. Quilp, (for which he also wrote words and music), and Can Heironymous Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humpe and Find True Happiness?. In 1977, Newley was further acknowledged for his successes when he was named the “Male Star of the Year” at the sixth annual Las Vegas Awards Ceremony.

Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse Anthony Newley and Samantha Eggar in Dr. Dolittle, 1967.

5 DIRECTOR'S VISION BY DON STEPEHNSON

The Roar of the themselves. It is a structure that is Greasepaint—The familiar to them from their past. But in Smell of the Crowd is this new world, it is a system that no ultimately a story of longer serves their purposes. They cling hope. In the aftermath to this structure, despite its unfairness of an event that has and cruelty, because it is what they upended society, an know. Without it, they are lost. absurd union is formed. It's a makeshift family of sorts; dysfunctional at Ultimately, this best, often cruel, mostly scrappy and ridiculous. This band of “ survivors operates under eccentric trio of a self-imposed system of rules that separates them, survivors finds creating a tiny universe hope from the of have and have-nots. Ultimately, this scrappy unlikeliest of and eccentric trio of survivors finds hope sources…each from the unlikeliest of other. sources…each other. In presenting Greasepaint, the greatest When originally challenge is to capture the humanity” of Director Don Stephenson in produced, the show was imagined as these flawed characters and highlight rehearsal. ©Diane Sobolewski an allegory of the British class system. the humor of their situation. The The characters enacted their squabbles, glorious score of Leslie Bricusse and battles, and reconciliations on an Anthony Newley provides a tremendous abstract setting that resembled a game assist in this endeavor, with melodies board. For the current production, we that invite the audience to share the have reframed the show to promote hopes and dreams of the players and accessibility into the emotionality of with lyrics that convey a sharply witty the piece and into the humanity of and ironic tone. It's a contemporary look the characters. The setting is instantly at the show intended to facilitate access recognizable to contemporary to the humanity of our characters, audiences: a world that is real, concrete, always highlighting their moments of and at the same time unknown—a redemption. ruined landscape created by a cataclysmic event of unknown origin. Our characters have grouped together in an effort to survive.

What draws me to Greasepaint is my interest in exploring the following oddity of human behavior: why is it that human beings act in ways that are contrary to their self-interest? In Greasepaint, the characters have recreated a hierarchy amongst

6 BEHIND THE SCENES: COSTUMES BY JESS GOLDSTEIN

COCKY

SIR

THE STRANGER THE KID

7 IN CONVERSATION WITH DON STEPHENSON & LIZA GENNARO

On April 18, 2016, Goodspeed's was done in 1965 on Broadway and it was Executive Director Michael Gennaro sat conceived as an allegory of the British class down with Director Don Stephenson system. Sir is the upper crust aristocracy and Choreographer Liza Gennaro to and Cocky represents a lower status guy discuss their vision for The Roar of the who can’t get ahead. Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd. Here is some of the conversation that The other thing was that the set was similar was conducted live for Goodspeed to the Monopoly Game board. They tilted Members. it up on one side and the characters were able to hop from one square to the next. MICHAEL GENNARO: The show They were able to play the game of life has been an enigma. It was done hopping from one square to another. They approximately 50 years ago, but also had this Greek chorus of children they it has never had a significant called the Urchins. They would sing the production since then. And the score songs and comment on what was going is magnificent. It is one of the greatest on. That was the set up. The setting was scores of the 20th century. It was done abstract, the kids were not of this world, originally in England, but it never and they were not real people. made it to the West End. It toured in the United States before going to I thought the idea would be to ground Broadway and David Merrick was the the show in a specific place and time, with Anthony Newley, Cyril Richards producer. Merrick released the cast specific circumstances. That would focus and David Merrick at the recording album while the show was on tour before the show. It can be hard to identify with session. it got to Broadway. I am sure many of you an allegory. For example in The Grapes of remember when Anthony Newley sang Wrath, people are leaving their homes since Click to watch the video “Who Can I Turn To” on the Ed Sullivan there are no jobs and there is dust, and https://www.youtube.com/ Show. Merrick built up this frenzy and when thousands of people are moving. However, watch?v=RZEcRyJf704 it finally got to New York, it ran for 231 if you get specific about Tom Joad and his performances. One of the issues is that the family, it becomes less abstract and more show is a study on British aristocracy, so interesting. By giving specific time, space, many people were afraid and circumstances, it would reveal the to take it on. However, we who, what, where, and why of the show. have two brave people I thought that giving the show a specific here who have decided to time and place would give it a specific do that. Could you tell us resonance to the audience. My hope is that how you contemporize the when you leave the theatre and you go show, how do you tell a home, it will be something that you can story that still has me going, continue thinking about... what is this about? People act contrary to their best interests a DON STEPHENSON: The lot. You hear that a lot during the election— thing that drew me to the people voting against their own self- show was the score. It is interests. This show is all about the haves this fantastic, unbelievable and the have-nots and you hear about that score. There are these in the news all the time, too. The people in glorious, jaw-dropping the show do not do what is needed to save melodies. I wondered if themselves. I wanted the audience to come there was a way to make see these characters acting against their the story accessible to a self-interest, to be able to put themselves in contemporary audience the situation and ask, would I do that? and make the story as accessible as the songs. MG: You will notice that the artwork for the That became my goal. I show is bleak, and yet there is one flower. Anthony Newley and Cyril Richards as also wanted to be able to do it and remain Because, Don kept saying that there is hope Cocky and Sir. true to the original script. The original show and that we should feel there is hope at

8 IN CONVERSATION WITH DON STEPHENSON & LIZA GENNARO

the end for this crazy group of people. The musical theatre comedy, it's not a drama artwork reflects the setting to some extent. with music, it is more of a musical theatre Could you speak about the setting? piece. At first blush, you would think this is depressing, but there is much more humor, DS: The play is set in a place where joy, dreamlike moments, and something terrible has happened to the love in the show that you earth. Therefore, there is no food, no water, would not normally sense there is nothing. We find the characters when you read it on the in this desperate situation. Because all page. through the show we hear them talk about how hungry, cold, and desperate they are. LIZA GENNARO: Well, what That’s fine in an allegory where they are the music allows for are talking about these things in the abstract. moments of release from But, I thought I should put them in a the world that these people situation where all of that stuff becomes are coping with. There are absolutely real. moments of fantasy, hope for relationships between MG: So the game that they play becomes the characters, fun, and a game because there is nothing else to competition between them do and it takes on different nuances now that all play out through because of the situation they are in, and dance and music. And the four people must live together and what’s fun about it for me in make sense of it. terms of the choreography and how to bring dance DS: The game needed to become very into the world, is that these specific. In the allegory version they are people dance when dance not really playing for any reason because is necessary. The dancing it is the game of life, it is an abstract idea. is very motivated from the However, if you are starving and you have a book and the situation. piece of bread and the game becomes life Consequentially, it doesn’t and death for the characters, then it means have to be the standard dance that we Michelle Aravena (The Kid) and Tony Sheldon (Sir) in rehearsal at Goodspeed. something. The idea of acting against their see all the time. There is a lot of room for ©Diane Sobolewski best interests plays in because clearly in invention and different kinds of dance. that situation they should help each other. We are able to pull from lots of different Money and social status do not matter movement vocabularies both past, as anymore and nothing matters anymore well as current. It does have a showbiz except trying to survive. They should just aesthetic to it at moments, but at other help each other. But they don’t do that. times, it becomes more modernistic and I think it is because there is something grungy. It adds an enormous amount of about human nature where people want color in terms of both dance, music, set, to feel superior to other people. That’s and lighting. So, you are coming out of a comforting because that’s what we are dark world to a bright world continually used to. So it seemed to me that the throughout the show. That is part of the characters were continuing on in that comic aspect of the piece; there is a great GLOSSARY completely ridiculous situation and the deal of humor in it. reason they did that was interesting to me. British Aristocracy: the DS: It is a very funny script; you may think MG: So we have Liza bringing in a staging some of it as garish humor. It’s like if you noble families of the United choreographic element of whatever nature walk out on a horrible day, but you say Kingdom. that is going to be and she can talk about “what a beautiful day.” It is that kind of that. It is interesting to me that you are sensibility, it is ironic, sarcastic, and the Allegory: a story, poem, both coming at it from a long familiar environment looks very dead, until it or picture that can be history of American musical theatre. doesn’t. The setting looks very bleak, but interpreted to reveal a You are laying that on top of this, which when they sing the songs, everything hidden meaning, typically a gives it a different kind of flavor. It is not changes and things that you think are moral or political one.

9 IN CONVERSATION (CONTINUED)

dead, light up. All the colors that you don’t the score is and how we bring it in to make see in the set become more vivid and it make sense with what they are doing. everything changes. One of the things that There has never been a production like this Walt Spangler does with the set, is the more and if we are lucky, Bricusse will say that you look at the set, the more you see. this is the version that should be used from now on. Part of the reason that the show is MG: Can you speak about the cast? not done is because of the Urchins, the little kids running around. The orchestrations are DS: They are all great. What the show also dated. calls for is real showmanship. They have the ability to be able to do all the razzle- LG: We talk a lot about Lesslie Bricusse, but dazzle showbiz stuff that we all know. But, the imprint of Newley on the show is very it also requires a depth, an ability to layer strong, not just in the writing, but in the different emotions and ideas on top of performance. There are some wonderful each other because their thinking is never clips of him performing the material on simplistic. The relationships are extremely YouTube now. Newley’s physicality has complicated and not what they appear to been a fascinating study for me and I am be at first. In that way, it is sort of a mystery. working his physicality into the show. You It is a mystery about who’s who, what their can watch for those things. past lives were before the show begins. DS: When I proposed this idea to Michael, I think the show has a lot to say about he had read the original script and score. today, which is another reason to do it. It I only explained the new concept to him is not going to feel like a dusty 50-year- verbally. But, Michael is a real man of the old show. It was really a show of its time; theatre. He knows all elements of the however, it spoke to many important issues. theatre and he truly understood what we It dealt with the haves and have-nots, with would like to do. He was able to visualize Choreographer Liza Gennaro racism, and these issues still have resonance what we want to do and he instantly rehearses with Caesar Samayoa today and it will seem like a brand-new realized what we were talking about in (Cocky). ©Diane Sobolewski show. terms of the concept. I think you are lucky to have him. MG: I think you made a great point. It took us a long time to convince the Lesslie Bricusse estate to let us do this. We were cutting out characters and Don wants to make some interesting changes to the show. It was about racism in the original version, but now it is about someone who is different and not part of the group. The estate was very wary about what was being done with the music. They did not allow us to use less than than six musicians. We are re-orchestrating the entire score so that all that Goldfinger 60s stuff will be taken out. That is not to make it any less gorgeous, because I think we are all committed to how incredible

10 INTERESTING FACTS

• There was no London run because audiences were unwilling to accept Norman Wisdom as Cocky. When David Merrick brought the show to Broadway, he insisted that co-author Anthony Newley play Cocky.

• This was Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newly’s second Broadway hit. Again, the score was strong enough that several songs became popular standards.

• While in development, the show’s title had been Mr. Fat and Mr. Thin.

• The show opened May 16, 1965 at the Shubert Theatre and played 232 performances, closing December 4, 1965.

• According to Leslie Bricusse’s autobiography, the play was set "after the nuclear holocaust that most of the Western world was confidently expecting, and played out the battle between the surviving haves and have-nots as a board game, with the odds heavily manipulated by the Have [Sir], at the expense of the Have-Not [Cocky]."

A poster from the unsuccessful UK tour.

RESOURCES

Collins, Joan. Past Perfect. Boston, MA: G.K. Hall & Co., 1985. Print. Bricusse, Leslie. The Music Man. Berkeley, CA: Metro Publishing Ltdl, 2006. Print. Rosenfeld, Bill. Liner notes. The Show: The Roar of the Greasepaint (The Smell of the Crowd). Masterworks Broadway, 1990.